Ironing machine



June 7 E. B.DEcKER IRoNING MACHINE y Filed on; 12, ,1922 2 sheetsheey 1' Patented June 7, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE.

EARL B. DECKER, OF CLEVELAND, 4OHIO, ASSIGNOQR T0 BARTON R. DEMNG, .0F

CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, OHIO.

rnoNrNc. MACHINE.

Application filed October 12, 1922. Serial No. 594,179.

The present invention relates to an ironing machine of the type which is primarily intended for household use, although nothing is intended by this statement to indicate that its use may not be more extensive than that indicated.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a treadle structure for use in connection with such household ironers 1o which has certain advantages, chieiiy among which is the ability to apply substantially equal pressure between the roll and the ironing member when the foot of the operator is placed on the treadle at any part thereof i5 between the ends.

A second object of the invention is to provide a. machine of this character in which the table' upon which the material to be ironed is fed between the rotating rollers 2o and the ironing member proper, is so piv-` oted as to be movable above and out of the way of the roll, so as to leave the entire front of the machine open and free where such is desired.

Reference should be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part. of this specilication, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the device; Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of a portion of the mac ine with parts in section; Fig. 3 is a ers'pective view showing one end of the mac line; Fig. 4 is an end elevation showing in dotted lines the optionalpositions to which certain members may be moved; Fig. 5 is a plan view with portions in section of one end of the machine showing the vdriving gearing. Fig. 6 is a top plan view of .a portion of the construction form'- ing the treadle structure. Fig. 7 is a pelpspective viewNshowing a ratchet mechanism located at one end of the treadle.

Referring to the drawings, the frame of,

extends substantially vertically, as indicated at 5*. lhis bracket at its upper end supports one end of what I ,term an ironing member 6. This member is formed with a ,curved inner surface, as indicated at 6, and is a hollow structure within which there is some suitable form of heating element, it being permissible to use either gas or electricity.

In the present instance there is shown gas pipes '7 through which gas may be conlucted to be burned inside the ironing mem- Associated with the ironing member is a roll 8 which is ositioned in front of the curved face 6 of the ironing member and is so mounted as to be moved toward and from the ironing member 6.

Extending transversely between the upright 5 and a second upright 13 at lthe opposite end of the platform is a shaft 9. This shaft at one of its ends extends beyond the upright 5 and at the end thereof there is secured a pivoted arm or bracket 10. Thisv bracket is ivota'lly mounted as indicated at 11, so that 1t may swing outwardly and away from the roller 8. This bracket is a right angle bracket and at the end of the upstanding arm is provided with a half Journal, such as indicated at 10, in which 1eststhe end of a shaft 8a upon which the roller 8 is mounted. The upper half of the bearing 10n is covered in any' suitable manner, as for instance, by means of a cover piece 1.2. At the oppositeend ofthe machine there is an upstanding member i3 in whlch the shaft 9 is Journalled, and secured to this shaft in any desired manner 1s an arm.14 which at its endhas a. y"journalsupporting the shaft Saupon which the roller is mounted.

lt will be seen that if the shaft 9 is caused to rotate, `the arm 14 and the bracket 10 will be moved with the shaft 9, and so raise and move the roller 8 toward the ironin member 6. Therefore, oscillation of the sha t 9 serves to raise the rollerinto engagement with the ironing member 6 or to move the. roller sli htly away from that ironing posltlon.

y virtue of the fact that the roller 8 is mounted at one end upon the pivoted bracket 10, it is possible to release the end of thel roller by removing the cover member l? lifting the shaft 8a out of its bearing 1n the bracket 10, and swngmg the bracket away loo from the end of the roller 8. This feature l of the construction does notl form a part of this invention.

For the purpose of operating the shaft 9 there is provided a pair of spaced arms 15 and 16, these arms being fastened to the shaft 9 in any suitable manner. Each arm at its end is connected with a rod member such as indicated at 17.

Extending transversely between the rear legs 1 is a rod 18 which is stationary and fixed to the legs 1. Upon this rod 18 is a member which has a sleeve portion 19 with an arm 2O extending from one end thereof, and a longer arm 21 which extends from the other end of the sleeve portion 19. The sleeve portion 19 encircles the shaft 18, but is unsecured thereto, being merely mounted upon the same.

These members which have just been described are mounted so that the arm 21 lies at the end of the frame which is formed by the legs 1 and the parts connecting the same and extends from the rod 18 toward the.

front of the ironing machine. The arm -21 has one end of a spring 22 secured thereto the opposite end of which -is secured to the adjacent rear leg 1.

There is a second member having a sleeve shaped portion 19, a short arm 20a, and a long arm 21, which is likewise journalled upon the rod 18, and so positioned that the long arm 21a extends forward toward the front of the machine, andat the `end thereof adjacent to that at which the arm 21 is located. One end of a spring 23 is secured to the arm 21'3L and theY opposite end is secured to the adjacent rear leg 1. These arms 21 and 21*l at their extreme forward ends support a transversely extending foot operated member or treadle l24, which member extends substantially entirely across the front of the iron-- ing machine and between the front uprights or legs 1. At the ends of the treadle there are extending pins, such as indicated at 25 which are journalled in the ends of the arms 21 and 21, so that the foot member 24 is l pivotally mounted. At each end of the foot operated member 24 andloosely journalled on the pin at each end thereof isa Ipawl :26 and 27, this pawl being normally urged forward or toward the adjacent leg 1 by means of a spring, such as indicated at 28, which normally lies behind each pawl. On

vthe .inner side of each of the front legs 1 there is secured a rack having ratchet teeth `29 which is so positioned as to be engaged by the adjacent pawl, and under the action of the spring 28 each pawl will normally engage with the ratchet teeth before mentioned. Each pawl has upon the side there- 4of which is toward the foot operated member fa yprojection 26";l and this projection is in line to be engaged by a projection 23Il which is carried at the end of the foot engaging ber 24. j

It will be noted that when the foot oper- -ated member 24 is depressed, no matter to what portion the depressing force is applied to the member 24, it will cause the shaft 9 to be turned, and inasmuch as the vshaft 9 is quite rigid it will transmit the turning action which may be applied to it through either the arm 15 or the arm 16, or through both, substantially equally -to both ends of the shaft 9, so that the roller will fi? be brought into engagement with the ironing member 6 with practically equal pressure throughout the length of the roller 8.

Moreover, it will be seen that the foot engaging member 24`will be retained in the position to which it may be depressed through the action of the pawls 26 and 27 engaging with their respective ratchets. And furthermore, it will be seen that by a simple pivotal movement of the foot engaging member 24 the ratchets may be released and vthe roller 9 thereby permitted to move to its nonengaging position.

The' foregoing vmechanism is extremely simple and rugged, and provides a simple mechanism for moving the roller.

In front of and above the roller 8 is a 'table 30 which is so Apositioned that articles which are to be fed between-the ironing member and the roller 8 may be conveniently spread out upon this table and properly fed upon the roller 8. j This table member at its opposite ends is mounted upon 'an arm 31 each of which arms ispivotallymounted at the opposite ends of the ironingmemher 6, as indicated at 32. Each arm 31 is provided with a right vangle extending member 33 which is adapted to'engage with' the ironing member'adjacent its upper forward edge, and thus form a limiting stop whereby the table 30 is retained in proper position and prevented from swinging downwardly lin front of the roller 8. Each' arm 31 is JIU ze vention.

from the roller.

The roller member 8 is rotated, and for this purpose a driven shaft is provided which engages with a gear wheel 36 carried upon a sleeve 37 which is mounted upon the to end ofthe shaft 9 but is unsecured thereto and is free toHrotate. Upon the sleeve 37 there is mounted a slidable gear 38 which is splined to the sleeve 37. This ear 38 is moved by a lever 39 so that it may moved i5 into or out of mesh with agear 40 which'Y e front of the lroller, a pair of brackets for is carried at the end of the shaft 8a upon which the roller 8 is mounted; The particular gearing which is utilized in driving the roller forms no part of the present in- Having .described my invention, claim l. In van ironing' machine having a supporting frame and a pair of ironing elements one movable toward and from the other, means for actuating the movable element comprising a pair of levers pivoted to swing about a common axis, an operating memberpivotally connected .at its opposite.

Aends to said levers to rock about a longitu- 9 dinal axis, and means connecting said levers i to said movable element coacting locking members on 1the operating member and frame for retaining said member in a position to which it has been moved,- and means x5 operable upon a rocking movement of said 40 frame and,4 extending lengthwise thereof, a rock shaft journaled in the framebeneaththe shoe and parallel therewith, arms secured to said shaft adjacent the ends thereof and extending forwardly therefrom, arms i secured to said shaft and extending rear wardly therefrom, Ka roller journaled at its ends in the first mentioned arms, a second' shaft parallel with the first and carried by the" frame adjacent the' bottom thereof, a

"=" pair of levers pivoted on said shaft adjacent opposite ends of the frame, each lever having a sleeve-portion rotatable on said shaft, a long arm extending from the outer end of the sleeve portion toward the front of the frame and a short arm extending from the inner end of the sleeve portion towardthe front of the'frame, a rod connecting each short arm to one of the rearwardly extending arms of the rock shaft, and a treadle connected at its opposite ends to the forward ends ofthe long arms.

v 3. In an ironing machine, the combination of an ironing shoe and a roller engageable therewith, means for driving the roller, a table norniall extending in front of the roller with its inner edge adjacent the top of the roller and pivotally mounted to swing about an axis parallel with that of the roller and at the rear of the roller, said table being swingable about said axis to a position abovey and to the rear of said roller and shoe.

`et. In an ironing machine, asupport, an ironing shoe mounted upon said support, a. roller mounted upon the support in position to engage with said ironing shoe, means for driving the roller, a table extending in supporting theV table, said brackets being connected to opposite ends of the table and extending rearwardly past the roller, and means for pivotally supporting the brackets to swing about an axis parallel \with 'that of the roller and at the rear of the roller whereby the table may be swung clear of the roller and shoe.y v

5. ln an ironing machine, a support, an ironing shoe mounted upon said support, a roller mounted upon the support in position to cooperate with said ironin shoe, means for driving the roller, a ta le extending in front of the roller,` a pair of brackets, the forward end portions of which are secured to opposite ends of the table, said brackets extending rearwardly pasty the `roller and pivotally mounted-to swing about an axis at the rear of the axis of the roller, and means for limiting the swinging movements of said brackets whereby the table may be supported in operative position in front of the rollerl or in inoperative position albove 4the same and clear ofthe roller andA s oe.

6. In an ironing machine, a support, an ironing shoe mounted uponsaid support, a roller mounted upon. thel support and engageable .with said ironing shoe, means for driving the roller, a table extendingin front of the rller, a pair of brackets for supporting the table, said brackets being secured to the table at opposite-ends thereof, each of said brackets being pivotallymounted upon the ironing shoe rearwardl of the rol-ler;-- and stop members carried y each of said brackets and engageable with the Shoe to limit the ivotal movements of the brackets whereby t e table may be supported in yoperative position in front of. the roller 'or in inoperative position above the roller and rearwardly of said pivotal connections.

ln testimony whereof, I hereunto aiiix my signature. j

" EARL B. DECKER. 

